Aljaž has revealed the Strictly judge he is always trying to ‘make proud’ (Image: BBC)
has lifted the lid on who his “favourite” judge of all time is. The star made the confession after he and partner made their ballroom debut last weekend.
Fresh from a three-year hiatus from the reality competition, 34-year-old Aljaž (September 21) to dance a Cha Cha with alumna Tasha, 26. The pair earned themselves joint second place with , 53, and , 31, after both couples scored a pair of eights and two sevens from the judges.
The two couples were pipped to first place by JLS singer , 37, and returning professional , 34, who scored 31 points for their Waltz to Leo Sayer’s ‘When I Need You’. Following his return to Strictly, Aljaž has revealed which of the show’s past and present adjudicators he is trying to make “proud” this season.
“I’ve always had a favourite judge,” he said in an interview with . “His name is . And that is never going to change. Wherever he is – I know he’s watching, and I’m trying always to make him proud.”
Former ballroom dancer Len served as a judge on Strictly from its launch in 2004 up until his retirement in 2016. He initially headed up the panel with Arlene Phillips, and .
Aljaž is currently partnered with former Love Island contestant Tasha Ghouri on Strictly. (Image: BBC)
Len’s position was succeeded by in 2017.
During his tenure on the reality competition, the late legend was diagnosed with .
In a 2009 interview with The Mail On Sunday, Len admitted he’d had surgery to remove the tumour and that he felt “right as rain”.
“I was obviously worried at the start. We all worry if we get something like this,” he added.
14 years later, the Dancing with the Stars favourite died from prostate cancer that metastasized to his bones, three days before his 79th birthday.
His agent Jackie Gill told the that he died peacefully surrounded by his family at a hospital in Kent.
At the time, Tim Davie, the director-general of the , said in a statement: “Len Goodman was a wonderful, warm entertainer who was adored by millions.
“He appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone’s family. Len was at the very heart of Strictly’s success. He will be hugely missed by the public and his many friends and family.”
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Len Goodman served as a judge on Strictly between 2004 and 2016 (Image: BBC)
Aljaž made his Strictly debut in front of Len in 2013 with model Abbey Clancy, 38, whom he later lifted the coveted Glitterball Trophy with.
The following year, he placed tenth with presenter Alison Hammond before coming in tenth with Helen George, 40.
In 2016, he danced in front of Len for the final time with model Daisy Lowe, 35, before going on to partner with Kate Silverton, 54, Emma Weymouth, 38, Clara Amfo, 40, and Sara Davies, 40.
Following the conclusion of season 19, Aljaž quit the show after nine consecutive years at the helm.
“It took longer to create numbers, it took longer to come up with songs that hadn’t been used, that I hadn’t used,” he told HELLO! Magazine.
“There was even an instance when I got this great idea; I was in the car… I sent the track to [the] producer saying “Oh my goodness this would be an amazing Argentine Tango, could you please find out for me who has done it, when has it been done…”
“They call me back in literally two minutes and go, ‘Are you serious? It was you that did it three years ago…’. When those sorts of moments started happening, I was like, you know what, it’s time,” he continued.
“And I never ever felt like I left anything on the dance floor.”
Tonight (September 28), the father-of-one and Tasha will take to the floor to perform a Viennese Waltz to ‘Misty Blue’ by Dorothy Moore.
Tune into on Saturday from 6.15pm on One and iPlayer.